Belgian Grand Prix rider Françoise Hologne-Joux and Françoise Niclaus have announced the retirement of their competition horse Warhol. Owned by Mrs Niclaus, the 17-year old Warhol was one of Europe's most successful small tour horses.
Warhol is a Hanoverian gelding bred by Friedrich Sievers. He is by Warkant out of Solana (by Saint Cloud).
He was discovered as a youngster by Stefan van Ingelgem, who qualified to compete him at the 2006 World Young Horse Championshipps, but the horse sold to Françoise Niclaus right before Verden.
The ride was initially given to French Ludovic Henry, who was based at the Royal Etrier Belge equestrian centre in Brussels, but the bay gelding made his CDI debut in 2010 under Stephane Morai instead (Saumur, Compiegne, Vierzon). In 2007 he was listed with the FEI as owned by Christine Divigne, but the owner's name changed back to Mrs Niclaus in 2009.
Warhol made his real claim to fame under Françoise Hologne-Joux, who began competing him internationally in 2012. Over the past five years, Warhol placed in no less than 100 classes at CDI's on Europe, of which 65 were top three places and 27 of them were victories.
"With pain in our heart we have decided to retire Warhol from competition," Niclaus told Eurodressage. "He was the best small tour horse in Belgium and one of the best in Europe under Françoise Hologne. He loved competition, but he's not doing well in this year's summer heat and we decided not to take any risks, so now he gets to enjoy a new life with hacks and turn-out."
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Warhol
Hologne-Joux' Warhol and Wodan, Winners a World Apart at the 2013 CDI Vidauban
Warhol in Training with Ludovic Henry